I love a good deal and of course, saving money! So much so that I would even venture to say that roughly 80% of all of the furnishings in my home had some sort of cost savings associated at the time of purchase. Today I wanted to share some of my favorite cost savings strategies with you all, because regardless of whether or not you can afford the full price of an item, why spend more than you have to?
Coupon Websites
Before I make any purchase online, I always check coupon websites for any store discounts/coupon codes or sales. These sites are designed to provide users with all of the latest information on store deals and any coupon codes that are currently being accepted by that store. Two of my favorite coupon websites are coupons.com and retailmenot.com. Before you make your next online purchase, I highly recommend checking these sites to see if you can obtain any additional savings. It takes only a few moments to do and you might be pleasantly surprised by the savings benefits.
Registry
For brides-to-be: When registering for wedding gifts it is very important to read about the store's registry benefits program (here are a few examples- Williams Sonoma, Bloomingdales, Macy's). When applicable, I would highly recommend organizing your registry(-ies) based on where you will receive the most benefits for those items you plan on registering for. For example, if you plan on registering for Riedel Crystal, register for all of your Riedel pieces at the store that provides a Riedel registry benefit. That way you are not only registering for items you want, but also positioning yourself to qualify for the Riedel Bonus Registry Gifts. It sounds so silly, but I cannot tell you how many perks I received when I got married just from organizing my registries accordingly. I received a sizable array of additional home goods that I would not have otherwise had the opportunity or budget to obtain.
In addition to organizing your registries based on the additional product brand benefits, don't forget that as a registrant you will receive a store discount for up to 6 months after your wedding on most store items. My advice, take advantage of this opportunity to save a little extra money while furnishing your new home with your spouse.
Sign up for E-Mails/Become a Member
I used to abhor receiving mass solicitation emails from retail stores. Who wants to have their inbox filled with junk mail? Well, I have certainly changed my tune over the past few years. I no longer consider those emails junk, but rather free money! Horchow is a great example - 20% off your first purchase just for signing up to receive their emails! Even after you use the 20% coupon, you will still receive emails alerting you to their site-wide sales that typically involve taking 20-30% off everything in the store! (For example- Horchow is currently having a bedding sale, so my matelasse from this post has been reduced in price by almost half!
In addition, I also recommend becoming a member of a store's member rewards program. They are typically free to join and the benefits can be significant. One of my favorite rewards programs would have to be the Bloomingdales Loyalists program. Sign up to become a loyalist at no charge and you will receive regular discounts for store events, free shipping for online purchases and even cash back in the form of Bloomingdales gift cards! Because I always enter my loyalist member number when I make a purchase at Bloomingdales, I was recently able to buy a really high end pair of designer shoes for $35! So phenomenal and yes, true story.
Check Magazines and Mail
Don't forget about the snail mail! How many times have you received a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon for 20% off a single item in the mail and either tossed it? Those coupons are free money! Well you know what I mean, they are valuable and the money they can save you on your next purchase is money that you get to put right back into your pocket. Vacuum cleaners, trash cans, bedding, etc… all expensive household items that you can easily get for 20% if you just save these coupons!
In addition, I know that most people read magazines for the content and then get rid of them. The next time you are reading a magazine like say, Martha Stewart Living, peruse the ads carefully and you may be pleasantly surprised by a few discount codes to your favorite home furnishing stores.
Wait for Sales
Patience can really pay off when it comes to store sales. One of our most recent furniture purchases, the Mocha Vintage Velvet Living Room Chairs from RH, was a custom order (as is most furniture) and had a price tag to match (woof!). My husband and I patiently waited for a sale opportunity to come along and lo and behold the opportunity finally arrived! RH ran a promotion recently "$100 off every $500 spent"…when buying furniture, that can quickly amount to substantial savings. My point being, while instant gratification may be tempting, if possible I would recommend holding off on ordering big furniture until a sale is announced. Furniture is a major investment and every bit of savings helps!
While I am certainly not anywhere close to achieving "Extreme Couponer" status, I have learned a few tips and tricks over the years that have afforded me the ability to obtain great deals on some fabulous furnishings.